Rolling over is one of the first big milestones in your baby’s physical development. It plays an important role in building strength, coordination, and the motor skills your child will need for crawling, sitting, and eventually walking.

My name is Amy, and I am the PR and Marketing Associate here at Joy & Laughter Developmental Therapy. Today, we’re going to be talking about when your baby should be able to roll over.

Babies Should Roll Over Between 4 to 6 Months

Babies typically learn how to roll over somewhere between 4 to 6 months of age, and it’s a super exciting milestone because it helps them build strength and coordination for future movements like walking, standing, or crawling. It helps the baby build strength, improve balance, and learn motor planning, which is essentially when they figure out how to move their body to get it where they want it to be.

There are two ways that babies can go about rolling over. The first is probably easier, and that’s rolling from their front to their back. This usually starts with a baby doing tummy time, and then they’ll start to use their arms to push up and shift their weight so that they accidentally roll over onto their backs. Over time, they’ll learn how to do this on purpose instead of by accident.

The second way is rolling from their back to their front. This one usually comes a little later because it’s a little more difficult and requires just a bit more strength. This starts with the baby on their back, and they’ll start using their legs to kick and then twist their body over so that they land on their tummy.

What Happens if Your Baby Doesn’t Learn to Roll Over?

If a baby doesn’t learn to roll over, they might face some challenges. And these challenges might include difficulty with:

  • Body awareness, or knowing where their body is in space 
  • Coordination, or the ability to move smoothly and efficiently. 
  • Muscle strength, which can lead to skills such as sitting, standing or walking taking a little bit longer to develop.

How to Encourage Your Baby to Roll Over

Here are a few simple and fun ways to encourage your baby to start rolling over on their own:

  • Tummy time. Give your baby a bunch of supervised tummy time, which will help them build their arm, their neck, and their core muscles
  • Floor play. Encourage your baby to spend a lot of time on the floor, maybe using their toys to encourage them to reach and roll over.
  • Gentle assistance. Help guide your baby’s hips and legs during practice rolls to show them how the movement feels.
  • Make it fun. Sing songs, use favorite toys to encourage your baby to practice rolling over.
  • See a physical therapist. If your baby isn’t showing signs of rolling by 6 months, a pediatric PT can provide personalized exercises and support to help encourage healthy development.

Contact JLD Therapy for Personalized Support

If you have any questions, or if you have any concerns about your baby’s development, our team at JLD Therapy is here to help. Give us a call at (408) 337-2727 to schedule an evaluation for your baby today.